1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an industrial delivery truck, in particular a pickup-and-delivery device, as a vehicle having a controllable travel mechanism, a load-carrying means controlled vertically movable on a lifting framework, a driver""s cab, in particular movable vertically on the lifting framework together with the load-carrying means, and an operating panel, to be operated from the driver""s cab, for controlling the travel mechanism and lifting functions of the load-carrying means, where the operating panel has at least two function regions, of which a first one is provided for operation chiefly by the left hand and a second one is provided for operation chiefly by the right hand of an operator in the driver""s cab.
2. The Prior Art
Industrial delivery trucks of the type described above are used in a variety of applications, including as pickup devices, in which a cabin with driver""s cab for an operator is capable of being moved vertically on a lifting framework. Arranged at the front of the cabin is a load-carrying means, for example a pair of forks pointing forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which is controlled vertically movable together with the driver""s cabin and, in addition, relative to the driver""s cabin. An operator standing in the cabin has available an operating panel that has operating elements for controlling the travel mechanism and the lifting functions as well as optionally a steering means. With it, the operator can selectively set forward travel operation or backward travel operation, control the speed of travel as well as the common lift of the cabin and the load-carrying means (main lift) and the lift of the load-carrying means relative to the cabin (supplementary lift), in order, for example, to steer to specific positions on a shelf in a warehouse, so that the operator can remove goods from the shelf from the cabin and place them over a front breastwork of the cabin on the load-carrying means or on a pallet carried thereon.
In known pickup-and-delivery devices of the type described above, the operating panel is mounted in a rear region of the cabin in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, namely on the rear wall of the cabin. The operator then stands at the controls of the travel mechanism or lift operation of the pickup-and-delivery device in the cabin so that the operator""s body is positioned essentially to the rear of the vehicle. The lifting framework and the cabin have regions open toward the rear, which permit the operator a view straight ahead in backward travel.
The operator is able to observe the lifting functions of the load-carrying means when, starting from the posture described above, he turns his upper body or his head to the front of the cabin. Such an operating configuration may be useful when, in the typical use of the pickup-and-delivery device long stretches without an intermediate stop are to be covered more often in backward travel operation than in forward travel operation, as may be the case, for example, in backward travel in an aisle of shelves with the completed assembly of a pickup after the shelf positions concerned have been approached for assembly of the pickup stepwise in forward travel operation.
However, if in some other use situation of the pickup-and-delivery device forward travel operation is the main travel operation, in which for example regular higher travel speeds are possible, arrangement of the operating panel at the rear of the driver""s cabin is ergonomically unfavorable, and safety aspects are also affected.
A brochure of the firm of BT Products AB, Sweden, under the title xe2x80x9cBT Production Information PAL OM/OMWxe2x80x9d, 1996, describes a pickup-and-delivery device in which the operating panel or operating console as a whole can be shifted from the rear inside of the cabin to the front inside of the cabin. For operating the operating panel shifted to the front, the operator stands with his body positioned toward the front in the cabin. The operating configuration last mentioned may be useful when forward travel is the principal travel operation, i.e., long stretches are to be covered without interruption more frequently in forward travel operation than in backward travel operation.
However, there are also situations of use in which frequent changes in the direction of travel and intermediate lifting operations of the pickup-and-delivery device are required, such as in searching runs in an aisle of shelves for assembly of a pickup of numerous small parts. In such case, none of the arrangements mentioned above provides optimal ergonomic conditions for the operator in controlling the pickup-and- delivery means. In frequent runs in the direction opposite the side of the cabin on which the operating panel is provided, the operator then each time has to assume a posture essentially with his upper body and/or head turned toward the rear in order to be able to observe the behavior of the vehicle in the direction of travel and look for shelf positions to be approached.
An object of the invention is to provide an industrial delivery truck, in particular a pickup-and-delivery device, of the kind mentioned at the beginning that permits more operating configurations, and hence more ergonomic performance of tasks, for the operator in various situations of use of the pickup-and-delivery device.
In accordance with the invention, this object is attained in an industrial delivery truck with the features mentioned at the beginning, by designing the two function regions as modules separable from one another, in which at least one module in the access region of the driver""s cab is repositionable between at least two operating positions from one side of the driver""s cab to another side of the driver""s cab and is capable of functional use in each of these operating positions.
For example, in a use situation in which backward travel is the main travel operation, in which, for example, higher travel speeds are possible, both modules of the operating panel may be arranged in the rear region of the driver""s cab, preferably on the rear wall of a driver""s cabin.
If forward travel is the main travel operation for the industrial delivery truck, it may be advantageous to arrange both modules in the front region of the cabin.
However, a very useful possibility is obtained, in accordance with the invention, in that one of the modules may be arranged in the front region of the driver""s cab and the other module in the rear region of the driver""s cab. For operation of the two modules, the operator can now stand in the driver""s cab facing transverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Such a posture is a very good compromise in certain use situations of the industrial delivery truck from an ergonomic viewpoint, as, for example, when frequent changes in the direction of travel after short stretches of travel in each instance and numerous lifting motions are required in searching runs in an aisle of shelves. Then, the operator, by corresponding positioning of his head and without much turning of his upper body, can survey a large visual range including the two opposite directions of travel and direct his sight to shelf positions of an opposite shelf.
The two function regions of the operating panel preferably are repositionable between two respective operating positions, where the two modules, at least in some predetermined combinations of their operating positions, are arranged and spaced with respect to one another so that they can be operated simultaneously by an operator of average height in the driver""s cab.
According to a preferred embodiment, each repositionable module is in each instance separable from a connection assigned to the first operating position, and having electrical connection means as well as mechanical mounting means for the module, and is electrically and mechanically connectable to a second connection assigned to the second operating position. This results in short transfer times, where transfer of the module or modules is possible in simple fashion. The connections and the modules preferably form plug-in systems with automatic mechanical safety locks.
It may be provided within the scope of the invention that each connection is connection-compatible with regard to each of the two repositionable modules, so that the variety of possible operating configurations can be still further increased.
At least one of the function regions of the operating panel, in particular the first function region, preferably contains a steering means, for example, a steering wheel, for a steerable wheel of the industrial delivery truck, while the other function region contains means for switching between forward travel and backward travel of the vehicle.
In addition, it is provided that one of the function regions, in particular the second function region, contains means for controlling vehicle speed. Additionally, at least one of the function regions, preferably the second function region, contains means for controlling the lift of the load-carrying means.
For an industrial delivery truck in which the driver""s cab is vertically movable together with the load-carrying means on the lifting framework and in which the load-carrying means in addition is controlled vertically movable relative to the driver""s cab, at least one of the function regions, preferably the second function region, has means for controlling common lift of the driver""s cab and the load-carrying means, as well as means for controlling the motion of the load-carrying means relative to the driver""s cab. The lifting function operating means may be combined with an actuating element or a plurality of actuating elements. Operating elements optionally may be equipped with switchable double functions.
An industrial delivery truck, in particular a pickup-and-delivery device, is proposed in accordance with an additional aspect of the invention. This is designed as a vehicle having a steerable travel mechanism, a driver""s cab controlled vertically movable on a lifting framework, a load-carrying means, vertically movable on the lifting framework together with the driver""s cab, on the side of the driver""s cab lying in front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which additionally is controlled vertically movable relative to the driver""s cab, and a first operating panel, to be actuated from the driver""s cab, for controlling the travel mechanism and lifting functions of the load-carrying means including the vertical position of the driver""s cab, the first operating panel being arranged in a rear region of the driver""s cab in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and having at least two function regions, a first one of which is provided for operation chiefly by the left hand and a second one of which is provided for operation chiefly by the right hand of an operator in the driver""s cab. According to the invention, this industrial delivery truck is characterized in that a second operating panel is provided in a front region of the driver""s cab in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the second operating panel containing operating elements for controlling the vertical motion of the load-carrying means relative to the driver""s cab.
The two operating panels preferably are arranged and spaced with respect to one another so that one of the two function regions of the first operating panel and a function region of the second operating panel are actuable simultaneously by an operator of average height standing in the driver""s cab, positioned transverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
According to an especially preferred embodiment, the second operating panel may be provided with operating functions corresponding to one of the function regions of the first operating panel.